The Hanyou Prince
by Bikutoria
Summary: To restore his humanity, he must first find love as a demon. A twist on the Brother’s Grimm’s “The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich.” [AU: InuKag]
1. Prologue: Truth Fades to Fairy Tale

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's _Inu-Yasha_ or the Brother's Grimm's  "The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich," which served as inspiration for this little fanfic.  I do, however, own my computer, which served me well during the hours I spent toiling over this story. **

**AN: The reason this prologue is written in story-tale format (as in, "once upon a time" with no dialogue) is because it is the prologue.  Keep with it, and you'll find all the dialogue and action your heart desires in following chapters.**

**The Hanyou Prince**

**Prologue**

**Truth Fades to Fairy Tale**

Once upon a time, in a far away castle, there lived a princess.  The princess was considered to be the fairest in all the lands, not only for her astonishing loveliness, but also for her spiritual powers and fighting skills.  For all these reasons, the sacred Shikon no Tama was entrusted to her in the hopes that she may some day be able to purify its powers.  

As she came of age, the princess was encouraged to entertain suitors from neighboring kingdoms.  If a strong match was made, the two lands would be able to combine their respective resources in the troubled times of demons and human warfare, and ensure an heir to the throne.  It was then that she met the second son of an adjoining royal family, and a proposal of marriage was agreed upon.  The lady's lands would gain the strength of the army of her fiancée's homeland, and he would come into a royal title he would not otherwise obtain, being a second son.

The kings and queens involved were pleased…

But one royal adviser was not.

The adviser had appreciated the position he had in the castle, if only for the benefit of being close to her.  While he told himself that he studied her movements and habits for the sake of obtaining the Shikon no Tama that would grant him all his wishes, his hidden heart also lusted after the pure maiden.  For years, he made no move to take the jewel that would grant him the strength and immortality he wanted so badly.  While reasoning that the princess was still too powerful to take on, the tainted adviser could not admit to himself that the power the princess held over him was not just that of spirit or strength, but in his base wishes.  However, time was catching up to him.  Upon the announcement of the engagement, the adviser succumbed to his desire for power and invited the demons of the land to feast upon his body and soul, making himself stronger in the face of the adversary he had observed for years.  Though he lost much of his humanity, this hanyou retained his former human self's goals.  The newly transformed adviser would destroy the princess who had made him wait so long for what he wanted.  

The engaged couple were in the habit of taking walks through the royal gardens in their time of rushed courtship.  While waiting for his intended on one of these days, the unsuspecting prince was suddenly attacked by the adviser.  The adviser, not wanting to risk his own newly acquired body, performed a spell on the prince to turn him into a vassal.  His long black hair faded to white, his ears changed shape while sliding up to the crown of his head, and claws were where nails had once been.  The adviser ordered the newly transformed hanyou to attack the approaching princess and steal the Shikon no Tama.  However, the prince felt the pull of his humanity stronger than the new demon blood coursing through his veins, and refused.  Believing the power of the Shikon no Tama to be close at hand, the adviser used the last vestiges of his power to take control of the prince's recently endowed body before stepping back from the scene.  

The princess was greeted to the scene by her hanyou fiancée, struggling for control of his mind and body.  But when she reacted with disgust and fear towards this newly transformed man, the prince's despair cost him the internal battle.  He felt his claws tearing through the flesh of his intended just before returning to his own mind.  The princess, not understanding that it was an outside force and not the new hanyou body that caused him to act with such violence, drew an arrow and cocked her bow.  The hanyou, shaking with fear of his own self, did not stop her.  She shot the arrow, sealing him to the large Goshinboku tree they had used as a common meeting point

The adviser may have expected the princess to kill her fiancée and then use the power of the Shikon no Tama to heal herself.  This would have pleased him greatly, as the purity of the jewel would then have been tainted, making it that much for powerful for an evil being to wield.  However, that is not what happened.

When the princess saw the grief in his eyes, she realized he had not acted of his own accord.  In the few moments they had left before the sealing spell took hold of the inu hanyou, she told him that if someone was able to wake him from the spell and form a love bond with him as he was, that he would be free from the spell created by the adviser.  As his eyelids slipped closed, the princess felt a strange sense of grief for instinctual rejection she had delivered just a few minutes earlier.

The princess retreated to the castle, trailing blood along the way.  Knowing her time was short, she requested that the Shikon no Tama be burned with her body.  As the life force ebbed out of her body, the spiritual power she had harnessed all her life revealed itself in a new and final way: the princess prophesied that a girl would be born in her likeness, bearing the Shikon no Tama in her body.  This girl would be the new heir to the throne.  With that, the fairest princess in all the lands closed her eyes and allowed the darkness to take her.

In the decades that followed, the kingdom fell into a sort of disrepair.  Without an heir, a succession of royal advisers ruled the lands, waiting for the prophesy girl to be born.  It is said that the royal advisers had all been very much alike, with cunning souls, each one appointing the next before mysteriously disappearing…

~+~

Glossary:

Hanyou – Half-demon

Shikon no Tama – Jewel of the Four Souls

[A/N: Whoa!  Never thought I would ever write a fanfic, basically because I knew I would never live up to Thunk or Rurouni Star (shameless plug!).  But, desire won out over self-doubt, and here I am.  Please review!  I would like to improve my writing skills, so be as critical as you like.  But feel free to stop just before outright flaming ;)   Anyway, the reason that there is no dialogue in this chapter is because this is simply a prologue, the back-story for the story to come.  And with dialogue comes character development, fun with scenery…shivers yeah!  Longer chapters, too!

See you next time!


	2. Chapter 1: The Prophecy Girl

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's _Inu-Yasha_ or the Brother's Grimm's  "The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich," which served as inspiration for this little fanfic.  I do, however, own the new Harry Potter book, which I am shamed to say I have not yet finished reading.**

**The Hanyou Prince**

**Chapter 1**

**The Prophecy Girl…**

Kagome sighed as she looked out the window, gazing at the colorful flowers and shady trees that composed the royal garden.  She felt a stirring of longing in her heart to be at liberty to go outside and enjoy herself as she would have been free to do before.  Before the discovery.

_"There will be a girl born in my likeness, bearing the Shikon no Tama in her body.  She is my heir, and she will be the one to finish what I could not."_

"Kagome!"

The girl, startled out of her reverie, looked up at the solemn figure.  She stiffened for a moment before relaxing, laughing, "Oh, Miroku, you startled me."

Miroku smiled gently before seating himself beside the newly crowned princess.  "I did not mean to alarm you.  I was sent to retrieve you.." his voice fading off before settling into a slight frown.

Kagome's face reflected his own as she sighed again.  "They need me for another meeting?  I understand that it is important I know as much as possible about the kingdom in being the new ruling leader, but couldn't all these topics be condensed somehow?"  Her gaze slid back out the window.  "I heard from Lady Sango regarding our military forces, and I have heard from you about the spiritual matters of the land.  I have even heard from Naraku…"  Kagome's voice trailed off as she thought of the adviser.    The man who had been the acting ruler of the lands before her discovery and royal coronation had given her no cause for alarm, but there was something in his very nature that set her on her toes.

"Yes, I suppose you heard much from Naraku about the welfare of our land and our political situations with the neighboring kingdoms."  Miroku watched Kagome's face intently before moving on, "But now it is Lady Kaede who would like to speak to you."

Kagome sudden sat up straight before clapping her hands together in joy.  "Oh!  Is she not the one who can tell me more about my purpose here?  I still think this is crazy, plucking a girl from a rural shrine and making her the ruling monarch based on a fairy tale.  I would very much like it all to be cleared up."  Kagome's eyes, so often dull in this new repressed life, were back to the shine they had before she had been called to duty.

Miroku chuckled before saying, "No matter what, there is no denying that you are now our Princess.  Your coronation ensured that.  In fact, I believe Kaede may also wish to speak to you about your responsibility towards the future of the throne…"  His voice trailed off as he moved closer towards the girl.

A look of confusion fluttered in her eyes momentarily before his hand made contact with its destination, sparking an instantaneous reaction of a resounding slap.  

"Pervert!"

Surprisingly, the slap had not been delivered by Kagome; instead, the slap and the name-calling had been instigated by a rather lovely- and capable-looking woman who had just entered the room.  Sango's look of anger shifted to a warm smile for the startled princess before saying, "As the monk was so rudely trying to say, Kaede will probably try to talk to you about entertaining suitors.  Word has traveled fast that our kingdom finally has a reigning monarch, and there is no doubt that envoys will be sent in order to gain your hand in marriage."

"Oh…" Kagome had a perturbed look on her face as she contemplated this new dilemma.  It was difficult enough being plucked from a life as sheltered as hers to one as public as this without the added worries of matrimony.  Having been raised at a shrine to become a miko, marriage was something she had never planned on giving any concern to.  Kagome had thought she would live out her life in servitude to her people… _Well, it's very much the same thing.  Only now, your "people" are those of the kingdom, and not just the village.  Perhaps this way I can do more good…_ she thought about her change in circumstances.

The captain of the guard continued smiling as the monk rubbed his face and said, "Do not worry.  You have the final say in whom you wish to marry, and when.  Just do not forget that your word is binding, and once you accept a proposal there is no going back.  Be certain not to let this fool here trick you into agreeing to bear his child."  

Kagome laughed, "Oh, I am catching on to his ways quickly enough.  But I do not think Miroku means any real harm, right?"  

She smiled earnestly at the monk, who, having now recovered from the slap, brought them back to the business at hand by saying, "Right.  Now let's get you to Kaede."

~+~

The elderly woman had a surprisingly intense stare, causing Kagome to fidget in her seat.  The two women were seated across from each other in the private library, with scores of books and scrolls laid out between them.

"It is rather remarkable how much you look like her."

Kagome glanced up, and replied, "That is what everyone says.  But how do you know?  This woman lived ages ago, and I have not seen any paintings of her around the castle.  It's like someone tried to negate her existence.  Before this, I thought it was just a fairy tale."

Kaede nodded sagely before replying, "You do know the fairy tale.  I believe the commoners call it the Hanyou Prince, do they not?" Kagome nodded before the older woman continued.  "You know your connection to the story."

Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the events of a lifetime to flash back to her.  A girl, born to a peaceful shrine in a rural village.  Demons attacking where none had attacked before, all obliterated by mysterious white flashing lights emanating from this girl.  As the girl grew, the mysterious light happened less and less and the demons had to be fought off by the newly formed village defense teams.  The girl was raised in the ways of being a miko, handing a bow and arrow and attempting to tap into and harness her spiritual powers.  She could utilize the same basic powers of a miko as anyone else could with no ill effects.  But whenever she accessed the white light power, it simply seemed to attract more demons.  News of this odd girl took years to reach the capital of the kingdom, due to the disorder the acting adviser had allowed it to fall into.  

Kaede, not noticing Kagome's attention was elsewhere, continued where the girl's thoughts left off.  "When the adviser Naraku heard of your existence, he immediately made moves to bring you here to the capital to see if you were truly the one from the prophecy.  And according to our examinations, there is no doubt.  Not only do the spiritual tests conducted by Miroku and myself confirm the existence of the Shikon no Tama in your body, there is your startling resemblance to Princess Kikyo."  

Kaede reached towards an old scroll and paused for a moment before unraveling it for the girl to see.  Kagome let a gasp slip from her lips before she could stop herself.  _If it were not for the aged look of the scroll, I would think this was an ink scroll of myself… Except, perhaps, the eyes.  Her eyes are a bit more sad-looking…_

"This is the only surviving picture of her.  Over the past 150 years, the others were all destroyed."  Kaede rolled up the scroll before putting it away.

"Destroyed?"  Kagome's voice held a distinctly confused tone.  "Why would anyone want to destroy pictures of her?"

Kaede turned her head for a moment, as though she did not with the girl before her to be able to read her face.  "There are those who wish to do away with the past, and move forward."  Kaede directed her gaze back to the girl and said, "Perhaps it is best that way."

Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, "If Princess Kikyo was real…then so was the prince.  And the adviser," she added, almost as an afterthought.

"Yes.  There are records of an agreement for marriage between this kingdom and another neighboring kingdom for Kikyo and a prince named Inu-Yasha…supposedly, the adviser turned him into a sort of demon that fit his name.  And although Kikyo is said to have sealed him to a tree somewhere here on the castle grounds, he has never been found.  It is possible, of course, that magic was used to hide him from sight to protect his body till it could be woken again."  Kaede added this last thought in an offhanded manner.

"And what more is known of the adviser than what we hear in the fairy tale?"

Kaede grimaced, "Court records show he was arrested, but apparently escaped.  Another adviser was named, and since then, each adviser has named a successor before stepping down.  This being so many years later, I am sure his devils have caught up with him by now."

"Alright," Kagome heard herself saying, "I would like you to be blunt with me.  I have been taken away from my family and placed in this unfamiliar situation…"  The girl looked uncomfortable for a moment before surrendering to looking resigned.  "Tell me what my purpose is here."

"You are to finish what Kikyo could not."  Kaede's apprising gaze never wavered from the girl, and the girl's did not waver from hers.  She continued, "You are to protect and purify the Shikon no Tama.  And you are the reigning monarch …meaning you must eventually marry, and have children to ensure the success of this kingdom."

Kagome nodded, understanding her duties.

~+~

The sunlight warmed her skin as she stepped out into the garden.  After two months of assimilating to life at the palace, Kagome was beginning to understand what freedoms she did and did not have.  She was pleased to have made friends with the taijiya and the houshi.  Two months had been long enough for Sango to accept Kagome into her confidence, revealing her history as a demon exterminator.  After the annihilation of her village by demons, Sango had made her way to the castle.  Starting out as a fighter and proving herself quickly she had risen the ranks to become the captain of the guard.  Sango was not only a skilled taijiya but well versed in battle plans; the woman believed the attack on her village had been an organized demon attack, causing concern throughout the kingdom that demons could be advancing that much.

The houshi was another matter.  Getting beyond his sage-like exterior and wandering hands, Kagome discovered there was a very earnest young man in the spiritual adviser.  He had lost both his parents at an early age, only to be raised by a well-meaning, but lecherous, alcoholic monk.  Finding his religious beginnings there, he took the family business of exorcising demons to the capital and was eventually chosen to work for the adviser's counsel.  

And then there was Kaede.  Kaede was both the miko of the castle and the keeper of historical artifacts.  Her post had been passed down from one miko to another, very much in a similar fashion to the adviser… Kagome reflected on the oddness of her befriending the three counsel members who did not seem to be under the former acting ruler's thumb.  While Naraku had not been anything but helpful, Kagome could not help but feel that he had the position of someone whose territory has been invaded: by her.

A slight scowl crossed her face as she wished she could send the adviser Naraku out of her life, but it quickly flitted away as she spotted a new trail to explore.  As she wandered down the winding path, she reflected on her duties.  Protecting the jewel had not been difficult, as Sango had instituted many layers of defense around the castle.  Any threats were usually wiped out by the first or second layer, leaving the third and fourth as basic backup.  Despite this, it was still difficult for Kagome to shake off her new friends long enough to even take a walk on her own.  She smiled, remembering how she had used Sango and Miroku's latest passionate "disagreement" as an opportunity to slip away for the afternoon.  It had been sparked, as usual, by Miroku's supposed slip of the hand.  Kagome realized that most of Miroku's "slips" involved the captain, and while she always reacted with violence, the princess was certain she had spotted a small smile on her face after a few of these events.  Kagome chuckled to herself, wondering when her new friends would admit to themselves – and to each other – their true feelings.

Lost in her thoughts, the girl only just realized that she had come near  an unusual clearing.  Usually the architects of the palace put fountains or statues in any clearings, cluttering the natural beauty of the place.  But in this clearing, the only thing of note seemed to be a rather large Goshinboku tree.  Kagome stepped into the clearing, enjoying the way the sun beams cut through the leave before turning around to look at this massive tree.

And saw a boy.  Asleep on the tree.

Kagome sucked in her breathe, contemplating the scene in from of her.  It was a man…not much older than herself.  His hair was white, though, and he was wearing such a strange old outfit.  It was a red gi that would have been more appropriate 100 years ago than today.  She stepped forward, close enough to touch, when she realized that his ears were wrong!  His ears were pointed on the crown of his head…and they looked rather soft.  

Before she could stop herself, she reached forward to rub his ears before giggling.  _Oh dear.  I have truly lost it.  I'm here playing with a demon's ears quite a ways from the castle and…he has an arrow in his chest!?  All of the sudden Kagome realized the situation and breathed out, "Inu-Yasha…"_

The boy's eyes opened.

~+~

Glossary:

Shikon no Tama – Jewel of the Four Souls

Miko – Priestess

Hanyou – Half-demon

Taijiya – Demon Exterminator

Houshi – Wandering monk? (Sorry, I've never seen a conclusive definition on this one)

Goshinboku – Literally "God-tree."  Huh.  Guess that means calling it the Goshinboku tree is redundant.  Um…oh well.

[A/N: Yes!  Another chapter done.  See, I promised it would have dialogue and be longer.  Not as much dialogue or as long as I would like, but I am working on it. As always, please review, and constructive criticism is always welcome!

Plug of the Day:  SilverQuick's White Dogs: Perversity]


	3. Chapter 2: Meets the Hanyou Prince

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's _Inu-Yasha or the Brother's Grimm's  "The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich," which served as inspiration for this little fanfic.  I do, however, own a giant jawbreaker on a stick.  _**

**The Hanyou Prince**

**Chapter 2**

**…Meets the Hanyou Prince**

"Kikyo…"

This amazing vision in front of Kagome abruptly became all too real.  After hearing the dead princess' name uttered from his raspy throat, she pulled herself back to reality and said, "What?  No!"

Between his tone of voice and the look in his amber eyes, Kagome was at a loss to see what he was thinking.  She thought she saw a mixture of longing, regret, and…was that hurt? flash through his face before settling on anger.  "No need to lie.  Why are you back?  Come to reject me some more for something I'm not responsible for?"

Kagome's face shifted from startled to indignant when she said, "Hey!  I may look like this Kikyo girl, but I'm not her!"  She pointed to herself and exclaimed, "My name is Kagome.  Ka-Go-Me!"

He looked uncertain for a moment, and then drew in a deep breathe, taking in her scent.  Due to their close proximity, Kagome stiffened in reaction to this act…_Is he…smelling me?!_  

"You're not her," he stated flatly, shocked that his heightened senses were telling him the difference in the two women's scents.  He scowled before continuing, "I should have known.  Kikyo was prettier.  And smelled better, too," he added as an afterthought.  His head snapped up as he looked for something currently unseeable in the distance.  "We've got company."

Kagome stamped her foot down in rage, shouting "Are you always this rude?  And what…company…?" Kagome's voice trailed off before she whipped around, attracted by a large thudding noise and the rushing of many feet in the distance that had finally reached her human ears.  It was coming from the castle perimeter and not the castle itself, causing Kagome's face to pucker in confusion.  _Why would the guards be rushing here?  she mistakenly thought mere seconds before having her body slammed down into the ground at an alarming speed._

~+~

Inu-Yasha gritted his teeth in frustration.  He recognized the youkai, a female centipede, full of brute strength but not much in the brain way of intellect.  His instincts were all but shouting at him to take down the attacker, but he found he was still held fast: the arrow was still in his chest.  He began to call to the girl, with half a mind to order her to remove the arrow and another half a mind to see if she was all right after that hit from the centipede, but was interrupted by an echoing voice.

"Where is it?  Give me the Shikon no Tama!"

The centipede wrapped it's lower body around the girl, shaking her to attention.  Kagome lifted her head, stared the centipede straight in the face and shouted "It's not yours to have!"

Inu-Yasha's eyes widened marginally at the audacity of this girl, whose aura was beginning to shine with a bluish light.  Now he had a gut feeling that this girl was not in control of that light, and that it may not mix well with the youkai blood in the centipede – or himself.  Just as he began to shout, "Oi, wench!..."

Kagome's head swiveled towards him to deliver a look of irritation before it slipped into shock as her was thrown up in the air.  Apparently, this attacker took Kagome's words as a challenge, and allowed its instincts to seek out one of the sources of this power emanating from the girl; Kagome shrieked as she felt teeth rip through her side, and a strange sense of release as she watched the Shikon no Tama burst from her body.

After dropping to the ground, the princess raised herself up on her arms, ignoring the screaming pain as she reached out towards the jewel that was the cause of this all—

When suddenly she found herself pressed up against the hanyou and the Goshinboku tree.  The centipede youkai, uninjured and naturally quicker, sensed that the boy was not currently a threat and chose to wrap Kagome up next to him, keeping the little threat she now posed at bay.  Kagome, in her exhaustion and loss of the Shikon no Tama, was no longer able to project the same purifying powers she had earlier. 

Inu-Yasha observed the centipede demon as it gloated to itself over its new treasure.  He said, "You old bag.  You're not that strong.  How long do you think you'll be able to keep other youkai from trying to snatch the jewel from you?"

The centipede woman rolled her head back and laughed, a deep disturbing laugh that echoed through the clearing.  "Fool.  Why concern yourself with other youkai when you cannot even seem to move yourself from that tree?  I'd like to see you try and take this from me before I deliver it to its rightful owner."

Kagome's attention, meanwhile, had been drawn back to the arrow imbedded in the hanyou's chest.  If she stretched out her right arm…just…enough…she could reach it and pull it out.

Inu-Yasha noticed the girl's actions and exclaimed, "What are you doing?  You think you could take this seal off?"  This triggered a memory, of a similar woman in this very clearing…_If you can find someone who would bind themselves to you and love you as a hanyou, it might be enough to break this enchantment placed on you._  

Kagome, not noticing the faraway look the hanyou's eyes took on for a moment, cried out, "If I can free you, you can take care of this youkai!"

"Feh," began Inu-Yasha, his mind quickly calculating.  If this girl was capable of breaking the seal…then she might be capable of breaking the enchantment that had made him a hanyou in the first place.  But Kikyo, whom he had known and trusted, had rejected him in this form.  How could he ever get this girl to help him out?  A solution – of sorts – sprang to his mind and he found himself saying, "I'll help you exterminate this demon, and I'll get you back your stupid jewel.  If you'll…" Kagome was certain she saw a look of apprehension and…was it embarrassment? pass through the hanyou's countenance before he quickly finished, "if you will promise to marry me, and take me in as your intended."

The girl gasped, a sound a complication of pain from the centipede's ever-tightening grip and a realization of the complications of a promise such as that – her word was her bond.  She hesitated for a moment before resolutely nodding her head and simply stating, "Yes."  

"Yes?"  Inu-Yasha could not help the befuddled tone his voice held as though he could not comprehend the reasons behind the girls answer.  Then the situation at hand came rushing up in a blast as his hanyou body began to feel the effects of the centipede's grasp.  If he was beginning to feel pain, then the girl must have said yes simply to be out of pain.  The scent of her blood tickled his nose as he began to understand the wrongness of his ultimatum.

Quickly beginning to doubt his manipulation of the situation, Inu-Yasha held his breathe as the girl's hand reached its target, and he felt the arrow simply disappear from his body in the girl's hand in a rush of light as she shouted, "We will not die here!"

_Badum_.

_Badum__.___

_Badum__._

Inu-Yasha felt the strength coursing through his muscles as he prepared to launch himself at the base youkai before him.  He did not notice the girl sliding down to the base of the tree when he could notice his claws, previously unused, slashing the skin of his enemy to the point of dismemberment.  He only ceased his violent actions to reach at his side and draw the katana he had relied upon so often as a human, and looked only at the youkai before him as he split its body in perfect halves.  This was when he noticed that something was off; the Tessaiga, the sword that had been passed down through his family for so many generations, did not have the appearance of the sleek and sturdy katana he so well knew the look of.  Instead, it resembled a giant demon fang, white fur blowing about gently in the breeze at its hilt.  It was only was the parts of the centipede woman began to wither to ash and bones that he heard Kagome cough and sputter before weakly sighing, "The Shikon no Tama. "

Inu-Yasha shook himself out of his reverie and placed the sword in its scabbard; that was something best left till later to think about.  He picked up the jewel and hesitated for a moment.  Its size was misleading, for even Inu-Yasha, untrained in sensing kehai, could feel its power pulsing.  For a moment it called to his demon blood, causing his heart to race with thoughts of claiming the jewel and using it as fuel for power.  Shaken by these disturbing images that had flown through his head at a mere touch of the Shikon no Tama, Inu-Yasha took the jewel and wrapped it in Kagome's hand before saying, "You better watch out for this."

Kagome's eyes opened wider, studying this hanyou she was now bound to.  She thought it might be too much to hope that he was acting caring after his rudeness and odd demand in the face of danger – and she was right.

"Feh.  With your skills, we'll probably going through this every damn week."

Kagome glared at him for a moment before glancing at the castle.  "We should head back to the castle…there is much to be explained."  

She went back to pressing her hand against her wound, thinking about the situation she had gotten herself into.  She was momentarily dazed when she felt one strong arm wrap around her waist and the other pull her free hand over his neck.  When she looked up at him, he was staring right in the direction she had arrived from, his mouth set in a tight line.  "Come on," he said, "it will be faster this way."  As they made their way down the path, Kagome absentmindedly allowed her free hand to rest on the silky silver hair while wondering about this conflicted hanyou she was bound to marry.__

~+~

"Lady Kagome!"

Kagome felt relief flood her heart; she had not been so pleased to see anyone as she was to see Miroku at this moment under the awning of one of the many entrances from the garden to the palace.  "Miroku!"

"Lady Kagome…" the houshi began, taking note of the silver-haired hanyou supporting the princess.  His violet eyes swiftly zeroed in on the blood still leaking from the wound the girl was applying pressure to.  "What has happened?  And who is this?"  Miroku's tone came out harsher than intended, but that was to be expected between the injury and the stranger before him.

Inu-Yasha stiffened, trying to determine what sort of a threat this man might pose.  Kagome, quick to defuse any sort of a situation that might arise, moved the hand she had previously had wrapped around her new fiancée's neck for support and placed it on Miroku's arm.  "It is all right.  I did not mean to worry anyone earlier by slipping out…"  She quickly relayed the events that had transpired, and felt more calm once she felt Inu-Yasha's arm, still wrapped around her waist as support, relax slightly.  

Miroku nodded.  That the Prophecy Girl would be found, and a few short months later the Hanyou Prince of the fairy tale to be discovered hidden on the ground and reawakened, did not seem to faze the man.  "It is fortunate you were able to help the princess in her time of need.  For this, we are eternally thankful."  The houshi delivered a bow, rendering the couple uncomfortable, as Kagome had yet to reveal the reason why Inu-Yasha had agreed to help.  

Inu-Yasha was poised to mention this, but Kagome quickly cut in asking, "How was this youkai able to attack on the ground?  What happened to the lines of guards?  Is everyone all right?"

The monk shifted from one foot to the other before admitting, "It seems that this centipede woman who assaulted you must have taken advantage of a temporary weakness in the castle guard…during the shift change, a few other low-level youkai caused a disturbance on the east end of the grounds, drawing the forces away from the west end you had wandered to.  In fact, Lady Sango  and Lady Kaede are still dealing with that situation."  Eyeing her wound and the protective stance Inu-Yasha held, the houshi stated, "However, now is not the time for you to attend to those matters.  Let us get you to your room, and I will tend to your wounds until Kaede returns."  Miroku stretched out an arm, a gesture intended to signal a transfer of the weakened girl from the hanyou to the houshi.  The arm was slowly drawn back as he noticed the harsh glare Inu-Yasha threw at him.

Kagome, noticing the exchange and tiring quickly, admitted, "Miroku…circumstances were such that…Inu-Yasha is my intended.  I gave him my word in exchange for his help with the centipede woman and the retrieval of the Shikon no Tama.  My word is binding."  Inu-Yasha looked at this woman who was obligated to him, trying to decipher the tone in her voice before registering just exactly what a state she was in.  In one smooth movement, he swept her off her feet, careful not to disturb her injury.

Miroku's eyebrows rose slightly, looking the most startled Kagome had ever seen him.  "Ah.  I see…well, Inu-Yasha, please allow me to lead the way."

~+~

With Kaede's arrival came comfort.  She assured them that the wound, though painful, was largely superficial and not at all life threatening.  Kagome, long since having drifted off to sleep thanks to her fatigue and Kaede's herbs, could not recount the story of the afternoon.  Inu-Yasha did not appear to have any inclination to talk either, sitting in the window frame in Kagome's chambers.  He had been basically unresponsive except for the occasional sarcastic retort since Kaede had ascertained that the girl would be fine.  That left it to Miroku to explain the situation, and upon its telling, he left with Sango to further discuss the events that had transpired on the east end of the property.  

Kaede looked hard at the young hanyou; his posture shouted indifference, but the fact that he had stayed in the room this long let the old woman think there must be more to the situation than the houshi had let on.  "I have read much about you, Inu-Yasha."

His head jerked in her direction, revealing the curiosity that had been eating away at him since his unsealing.  Kaede chose to view that as a sign to continue, and began, "He tried to control you.  He inadvertently turned you into a hanyou, and then forced you to mortally wound the woman who had loved you.  She rejected you in your hanyou form, and then she sealed you."  She tilted her head, regarding Inu-Yasha, waiting for a change in his demeanor.  "Tell me, how wrong are our records?"  

Inu-Yasha returned his gaze to the scenery outside, shifting his body for comfort's sake.  "Fairly accurate."

The old woman, sensing the boy's tension, waited patiently.

"Today…I was able to protect Kagome and the Shikon no Tama as I was supposed to with…for…Kikyo, years ago.  I was trained to fight as a human, but I also did these instinctive…moves that I assume must be related to my hanyou blood."  The boy's amber eyes flashed towards his katana for a moment before continuing, "And my sword changed.  The Tessaiga.  It become stronger, and had a pulse."

Kaede ascertained from these admissions what it was he was not asking.  "I am certain Lady Sango and Miroku would be able to guide you in training your body and mind in the face of this…" she searched for a word before settling on, "…transformation.  And I will peruse the libraries for information regarding the Tessaiga."  Her intense gaze left the the boy's tense frame and settled on Kagome, lying in her bed with a peaceful look, lips slightly parted, her chest rising and falling gently.  "She is new to all this also.  Kagome…is a strong girl.  Even if she does not know it yet."

Inu-Yasha nodded slowly, having been filled in on the events that had occurred after his sealing and Kagome's circumstances by Miroku.

The woman stood, and said, "Be nice to her."

Inu-Yasha snorted, then followed Kaede's lead and rose from the window.

~+~

Inu-Yasha settled into the chambers he had been given, opening the windows to rid the rooms of the stuffiness a human nose would not detect.  He laid back in the bed, reflecting on the old miko's warning from earlier.  He knew that if her records were half as good as he supposed, then the warning came from reports of Inu-Yasha's boorishness from when he first arrived at the castle as Kikyo's Intended.  He thought back to the time it had taken for his anger to quell and Kikyo's trust in him to grow.

_You got one part wrong, woman.  Kikyo did not love me, and I had not loved her._

Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, not allowing himself to grieve for the potential that had been destroyed.

~+~ 

Glossary:

Shikon no Tama – Jewel of the Four Souls

Miko – Priestess

Hanyou – Half-demon

Taijiya – Demon Exterminator

Houshi – Wandering monk? (Sorry, I've never seen a conclusive definition on this one)

Kehai – A sort of sixth-sense energy – when Kagome says she feels a shard of the Shikon in the manga/anime, she's actually sensing it's kehai.

[A/N:  It's a miracle!  Another chapter!  20 reviews swoon  Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed – when authors mention their addiction to reviews, they are not joking J  I think maybe we should start a Anonymous group…"Hello, my name is Bikutoria and I am addicted to reviews."  

All right, for anyone who thinks Inu-Yasha was being OOC by choosing to give Kagome back the Shikon no Tama, understand this:  it's an AU.  In _this_ world, Inu-Yasha was raised human and that is what he's used to.  So, for him to hear the call of power of the Shikon no Tama and reject it is on par with what he did in the manga and anime by picking up Tessaiga again and subduing his full-demon blood.  Yeah, he could have the power but he'd basically be sacrificing his own soul.  We wouldn't want our little inu-hanyou to do that!  And also, Inu-Yasha KNEW Kagome's word would be her bond.  He panicked, and took advantage of the situation by making himself her intended because he saw it as the only way to possibly get back his humanity.  The pessimistic part of his mind recognized her raw power and thinks maybe she could break the enchantment _without_ the love requirement.  The optimistic part recognizes what a fiery little spirit our Kagome has, and what a kindred spirit she might be.  Of course, Inu-Yasha has not admitted any of this to himself – yet.

**6-28-03** - For anyone wondering why this has been updated but there's no new chapter – fear not.  Well, fear a little.  I fixed grammar mistakes and inconsistencies in all the chapters.  Plus, I get to tell you here not to expect another update for about a week J  I will not put out the next chapter until I've pinned down exactly how I want this to end – if you've read "The Frog King" you'll understand my frustration in finding an equivalent ending.  Thank you for your patience!

Shameless Plug of the Day: sniffle Maiden of the Moon is beginning to wrap up her fanfic entitled "If The Slipper Fits A Cinderella Story."  So catch up and endure the suspense with the rest of us!


	4. Chapter 3: A Battle of Wills

[**AN: Anyone who is wondering why this isn't a new chapter - read the update at the bottom.  It's a call to arms, people.]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's _Inu-Yasha or the Brother's Grimm's  "The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich," which served as inspiration for this little fanfic.  I do, however, own a really nifty star-shaped candle holder I got from Wal-mart.  lights the candle and sits back, basking in the glow while waiting for the chapter to upload_**

**The Hanyou Prince**

**Chapter 3**

**Battle of Wills**

"So that is how it went."

The vast room, furnished only with a large lacquered table, served as a place for the counsel of advisers and the royal family to discuss various situations of importance.  At least, discuss was supposed to be the operative term.

Inu-Yasha's ears twitched at this Naraku's tone.  He noted the balance of power in the room, with himself, Kagome, Kaede, Miroku and Sango kneeling on the tatami mats on one side of the table and the remaining advisers surrounding Naraku on the other.  He felt a growl rising in his throat, but stopped himself when he felt a hand rest on his arm in a calming manner.  His gaze went to the owner of the arm, who was not looking at him, but directly at Naraku.

"Yes, " she affirmed in a clear voice.  "That is how it went.  And with Lady Sango's description of the altercations at the opposite end of the property, I feel we can all agree that they served as a diversion from the attempted theft of the Shikon no Tama."

"A diversion?"  Naraku's voice rose in a lilting fashion.  "So you are suggesting that these…low-level youkai were organized?"  His eyes flitted towards Sango, knowing of her ideas.

"The evidence supports that theory."  Kagome kept her eyes trained on the adviser that had held her position of power so recently.

The man noted her adamant support of the idea, and conceded.  "It is a theory worthy of investigation.  I shall have our best men on it."  With this, he nodded to the black-haired woman at his side, who leisurely made to write notes on this.

Kagome, satisfied with this, turned hesitantly to the hanyou to her side.  She become conscious of her hand still being on his arm and hastened to remove it, furious with herself for the blush she felt creeping on her cheeks and determined not to show it.  "About Inu-Yasha…" her voice trailed off, uncertain of how to continue.

Naraku turned his attention to the white-haired man, who, up until just a few moments ago, had been oddly quiet.  "You offered your services in return for a royal marriage."  One eyebrow rose slightly, an indicator of what the adviser thought of the arrangement.

Inu-Yasha stiffened, and felt compelled to speak with everyone's gaze averted to him.  "Yes," he began warily, "and she agreed."  

"A hanyou consort…" Naraku chuckled.  "Well, the important thing is the promise."  At this, Naraku redirected his attention to the girl.  

She shrugged slightly before repeating the words that had been echoing in her head in a neutral voice, "My word is my bond."

Inu-Yasha's jaw set firm at hearing her declaration.  His chest tightened, imagining how it must have been for her in the moment she made her decision…  "She promised to marry me, but I did not make her say when."

Kagome's eyes widened slowly before lowering her head, questioning what her own ears had just heard.

The adviser just smiled slightly at this.  "Then take your time.  There is no reason to rush things."  Seeing that Inu-Yasha's gaze was diverted elsewhere and Kagome's bowed head, Naraku ended the meeting with, "So that will be all for today."

~+~

"Sango…"

The petite woman stopped walking when she heard the houshi's voice, knowing what was coming.  "Yes, Miroku."  She turned around, her face thoughtful.  "A master, waiting for the Shikon no Tama."

This had been one of the many particulars of Kagome's story.  It had also been the most important one not discussed in the conference.  "Yes…" Miroku began, "but the rest of the counsel did not seem so eager to explore that idea when Princess Kagome brought it up."

Sango countered, "And why should they?  It would be dismissed as a random statement made by a thoughtless youkai.  They will handle this as inefficiently as they do everything else.  Besides, it is not our fellow counsel members who really wield the power."

Miroku raised his eyebrow, taken aback by her reference to the hierarchy that still existed despite the appearance of the Prophecy Girl and her ascension to the throne.  "Yes.  Naraku does still pull the strings.  Even the way he ended the meeting is proof enough of that. However, we have no evidence that he is anything other than what he appears to be," he reminded her cautiously.

"I know," Sango's frame slumped slightly, evidence of her frustration with the politeness of politics evident.  "I cannot help it if I simply innately _know that there is something amiss with him.  How could he have so eagerly given up his ruling power that he had relished so much to easily hand it over to Lady Kagome?"_

Miroku stepped forward to rest a hand on the petite woman's shoulder.  Sango leaned back slightly before closing her eyes, relishing the comfort the houshi was giving.  Miroku's voice came out soft, "I know you believe the attack on your village was organized.  And I want you to know, I believe you."

"Houshi-sama…" Sango began, unsure of what she would say before…

Suddenly, the walls trembled faintly as a shout rang out.  "HENTAI!"

~+~

Miroku rubbed his cheek, still sore from the smack earlier.  He said, "As I said before, I hadn't even touched your—"

Sango cut him off with, "And as _I_ said before, you were about to.  You had _intentions."_

Miroku simply looked at her before shrugging, "Maybe not."

Sango's jaw dropped.  The idea that the lecherous houshi may not have been about to take advantage of a good groping moment was enough to set her off.  "Why you…!"

She stopped when she heard a cough, and then "Excuse me."

The pair turned their notice to Inu-Yasha, Sango quickly lowering her fists and Miroku removing his hand from his still-red face.  "Why hello, venerable Intended Consort to the…"

"Feh.  That long title gets a bit old.  Just call me Inu-Yasha."  

The couple nodded, and it was just a moment before Sango realized just how much she liked and respected this hanyou she barely knew.  She smiled and said, "Please, call me Sango.  You can call this…" there was a visible attempt in her face to restrain all the disrespectful names she could think of "houshi…Miroku."

Inu-Yasha felt amusement for a moment, taking in what he understood of the situation between the man and woman before him.  Then he brought his mind back to the matter he had followed their voices – and scents – here for in the first place.  "Actually, Kaede tells me that you two would be the best people for me to speak with.  You see, I am actually in need of…" Inu-Yasha's face contorted, his pride not allowing him to continue easily.

The houshi appreciated this and quickly eased the situation by interjecting.  "Kaede was kind enough to let us know of your wishes beforehand.  I would be happy to help guide you in whatever spiritual or meditative techniques that may help your…you."  Miroku's normally calm exterior faded for a moment before amending his choice of words.  How exactly does one address a man trapped in such a situation?

Sango drew the hanyou's stare to herself by adding, "Yes, and I am most eager to help you formulate a training program that would challenge you."  Her eyes glazed as she continued speaking.  "The precision you'll be able to master, and the strength…how can we boost that? Maybe…"  The woman began muttering to herself as she continued her contemplation.

Inu-Yasha continued staring at the woman.  _How is it she doesn't just feel disgust at working with a hanyou like me?_  Miroku understood the unspoken thoughts of the man before him and began gently, "We are here to help you in any way we can."

Inu-Yasha tensed slightly at the comment, but then looked back at the still murmuring taijiya.  "Tomorrow, then?" he asked, watching Miroku bow in assent.  He was just about out the door before he turned his head back and said, "Continue to keep an eye on Naraku."

Sango and Miroku just stared open-mouthed at the now empty doorframe.  After she regained her composure, Sango turned to her companion and said, "Just how well does he hear with those ears?"

A tinny shout could be heard from far beyond the door, yelling "A lot!"

~+~

"Dammit!" he growled, taking out his aggravations in his training.  Which was difficult, considering the exercises Sango had helped him come up with that morning had been basically been designed with humans in mind, and not former already-skilled humans-turned-hanyou with pulsing magical swords.  He ceased his movements, taking time to mull over his situation.  What he needed was not so much training of the body or soul…

"Hello."

Inu-Yasha glanced quickly at his fiancée standing with a tray in the entranceway.  He had not consciously noticed her arrival, but in hindsight he realized that the air had subtly changed, making way for certain scents.  One that was uniquely her own, and another--

Kagome set the tray down on a nearby table and stated, "I brought some ramen for you for when you're ready to eat."  Seeing his eyes light up, she laughed before going on, "The cook said you got rather excited about it."

About to give his thanks, the hanyou quickly changed his mind and asked, "Why are you being so nice, woman?"

"Look," she started in an exasperated tone, her hands clenched in fists down by her hips, "couldn't we just call a truce?  A truce that includes you calling me by me name – Kagome.

"Feh" was all she could hear from him as he began ravenously devouring the meal she had brought him.

"Anyway…" she said, twisting her hands.  The hanyou noted her unnecessary motions, and interpreted them as nervousness.  "I wanted to thank you, for giving me…_us…time."_

Inu-Yasha snorted, "Whatever."

Kagome began to feel herself smile genuinely.  He saw the slight curving of her lips and thought to himself, _So, she hates the idea of being married to me so much she's happy for whatever little reprieve she can get?_  "Don't get all happy about it.  Who says I'm all that eager to be tied down to a woman like you?"  Realizing the foolishness of his words, Inu-Yasha could only wait for her response.

The smile gone, Kagome balled her little hands up into fists before sputtering, "Why you…!  You're the one who…!"  Unable to contain her rage, she turned on her heel and darted out of the room and away from her bewildering fiancée.

Inu-Yasha groaned inwardly, impressed by his own ability to scare off the girl.  But he did not go after her – and whether it was pride or shame that held him back, he could not say.

~+~

[A/N: 

Kristin Sharpe:  Thank you for your quibble!  I've never written action scenes before, but what I was really trying to show was that Inu-Yasha was acting largely on instinct.  He doesn't lose his mind, but he certainly does get distracted.  He'll be working on that.

I am thinking of up-ing the rating from PG to PG-13, mainly for language, and a little bit for violence.  But so far it's not been too bad… I just cannot stop that potty mouth of his!

I kept Sango's name for Miroku "Houshi-sama" because Mr. Monk just sounds kind of silly J  Also, I know ramen was not invented in Japan until recent decades, but I could not think of a good equivalent for our hanyou to get excited over.

Shameless Plug of the Day:  I have to make two…er, three plugs today, because I simply _must.  First off, Lady Penguin's "Dearest" (story id: 1396732) is just beginning, but I have a sneaking suspicion it will turn out excellent.  If I must suffer and wait for her updates, you all can suffer with me!  Mwahaha!  And the next two belong to Rurouni Star.  "All Life's a Play" (story id: 1369754) just began recently, but it's fantastic.  Kagome's the hanyou pinned to a tree, Inuyasha's a reincarnated priest and Sango's…well, let's just say _no one_ is who you think they might be.  She finished "To Live Again" (story id: 1342900) back in the end of May, so you do not have to torture yourself waiting for updates on this one.  If Takahashi was going to put Kagome and Sesshoumaru together in the manga, __this is how it would happen.  I am not kidding.  **Read them all!**_

 **_Update: _****_8/2/2003_****_:_  All right, all right, I am a naughty author, I know.  And to anyone and everyone who has reviewed or patiently waited for me to come out with another chapter, I am so sorry.  Anyway, to the reason why I re-uploaded this chapter…I need help.  I had an idea of where I wanted this to go, but then I lost it.  But I still really, ****really want to continue this.  So if you've got any idea of where you'd like me to take this – sideline stories, or the Big Battle, or anything – leave it in a review or email me using the email address on my bio page.  Thank you so much! hugs the computer  And Tatoosh, if you're reading this…raises an eyebrow  You review everything!  I want some ideas here!  You must be absorbing loads of imagination from all the stuff you read and review!**


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